Inspirational Stories

Preston was a regular 12-year-old kid who loved being active and was obsessed with playing basketball. He got sick in August and was still having a hard time recovering in late September. We realized he needed a thorough check-up and decided to bypass the doctor’s office and go directly to the ER. He had been extremely lethargic and was losing weight. His lips were pale, and his body was cold to the touch.

The same night in the ER we found out the devastating news that Preston had leukemia. He was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in September 2022, and after several rounds of chemotherapy, he ultimately required a bone marrow transplant that was done on Valentine’s Day 2023.

Recently. we just celebrated Preston’s first re-birthday, his one-year anniversary of being cancer-free!

His younger brother was his bone marrow donor. Thankfully he was a perfect match because Preston did not have a match on the national registry, likely due to his multiracial background making it difficult to find a match. Today we are learning ways to advocate for patients needing a match for a bone marrow transplant. We are hopeful to make a difference and teach people the importance of registering to become a donor.

Thank you, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), for sharing our story and helping the future look brighter for leukemia patients like our son.